Living in Austin, Texas

Austin, Texas. MSN called it the "Greenest City in America." Travel & Leisure Magazine listed Austin top on a list of cities with the best people and Forbes now ranks it as the #1 city in the U.S. for businesses and careers. The list of kudos goes on and on.

Known as "The City of Ideas," Austin is a creative and technological hub creating a diverse community of citizens. Austin is the State Capital, and home to major companies such as Dell, Motorola, IBM, AMD, and National Instruments and a thriving art and music scene. In addition to the nearly 200 live music venues, Austin has professional symphony, ballet and opera companies. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are more than 170 city parks, 30 miles of urban hike-and-bike trails, including one circling Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin and more than 11,000 acres of greenbelt for recreation.

Approximately 1.3 million people reside in the greater Austin area and it is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. People love Austin for everything from its live music to the famous barbeque to its thriving downtown scene.

With 300 days of sunshine a year, Austin is a great place to live whether you want to get outdoors and enjoy nature or just sit on a porch soaking up the sun. With so many great extracurricular options, you'll find plenty to do when you need a break from academic life.